Draft-gear.



J. P. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR APPLICATION FILED FEB.10, m3.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 time ion.

JOHN .F. COURSON, OF PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAFT-GEAR.

ceases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10,1914.

Application filed February 19, 1913. Serial No. 749,397.

To all 10710711. it mfl i concern v Be it known that I, JOHN F. Common, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pitcairn. in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft- (icars, of which the following is a specifica-. tion.

My invention consists of an improvement in friction draft gears for railway cars, etc., and ithas for its objects to provide a draft gear of simple construction and high efficiency, designed to utilize the wedging and releasingqualities of frietion-creating wedge blocks between a central bufling member and any suitable shock-absorbing member, as the casing of any usual or ordinary frie tion or spring gear, or both, or ashock absorbing device secured to the ear framing itself, so arranged to cooperate with the said elements, as, shall be more fully hereinafter described.

The particular object of the invention is to provide in a friction draft gear, means for effecting rearward strains to the car framing through an interposed shock-absorbing device, as a friction or spring gear, or both, either in buffing or pulling. In other words. mechanism whereby backward pressure is exerted against the shock-absorbing device upon the transmission of pulling or bufling strains from the drawbar to interposed eonmiuuieating mechanism. This effect is produced by means of a double acting wed ge member connected with the drawbar, a pair of compound double acting wedge members having angle faces adapted to (o-act with the'wedge members of the drawbar, and other faces adapted to coact under either buffing or pulling strains, with the wedge faces of the main shockabsorbing member of the car framing. These objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings showing one preferred form of the invention in whieh- Figure l is a central vertical sectional view of the complete draft gear assembled, the parts being in normal extended position, the section being indicated by the line I. I. of Fig 2. Fig. 2 i a horizontal sectional view, indicated by the line II. II. of'Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bross sectional view, indicated by the line III. III. of: Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view to Fig. 2 showing the operation of the device under pulling strains, F1g. 5 is a partial horizontal sectional view ndicated by the line V. V. of Fig. 1. Fig. (3 is a perspective detail view of the compound wedge member for the drawbar. Fig. 7 is a similar view of one of the compound wedge members interposed between said wedge member and the wedge member of the shockabsorbing element. Fig. 8 is a similar view of the wedge member of the shoek-absorhiug element. 7 In the drawings, 2 represents the drawbar of the coupler fixedly connected with the wedge member A by a transverse key 3 extending through open' gs 4 in cheek 5 of member A and througllia suit-able receiving opening in the rear ortion of the drawbar, the key 3 being pre erably held in position by cotters (3 or other suitable means.

Extending transversely of the center sills and through openings therein, are the cross bar members or keys 8, 8, and 9, 9, respectively," secured by cotters 10 or otherwise, and defining by their inner edges guiding ways or faces for the intervening laterally movable compound wedges B, B.

The shock-absorbing member D, which may beof any suitable construction embodying spring gear or friction gear mechanism, or both, is mounted between the rear cross bars 9, 9, extending backwardly and engaging by its wedge mechanism, not shown, a central wedge post 11 abutting rearwardly against the transverse abutment 12 which is rigidly secured between the center sills 7 by rivets 13 or otherwise, as desired.

The front end ofmember Dis provided with the wedge member C embracing the front end of the cylindrical casing by its rear housing portion Ll, or otherwise, and having at its front end forwardly extending wedge members 15, 15, and 16, 16, respectively, provided with inner wedge faces 17.

\Vedge member A of the coupler is provided at opposite sides with butting wedge faces, 18, 18, and pulling wedge faces 19, 19, respectively forming the surfaces of the opposing wedge members, as clearly shown. The Wedge faces 1.9 are disposed at an angle of 45, more or less, to the axial center of the gear, while the wedge faces 18 are sonnwhat more blunt, as shown.

. The compound wedge members B are mounted between the cross barvor abutment absorbing the shock.

i and 9, the wedge members 8, 8, and 9, t), and in operative engagement with the wedge members A and C. Each of the members 15 is provided with a middle wedge section 20 having inner faces '21 andQ-Q respectively, adapted to co-act with and correspoi'iding to the angle of inclination of faces 19 and 18 of member A.

Above and below the middle wedge member 20 and atthe rear portion of each of the members B are the wedge faces 23, 23, respectively of the same inclination, and designed to co-act with the wedge faces 17 of member-C, as men'ibers 13 are spread apart by faces 18 in butting, or 19 in pulling, of drawbar member A.

It will be understood that the spring or wedge mechanism, or both, inclosed in casing 1), and opposing the resisting action of wedge 11 thereof, will, in normal position, press the housing member 14 and its wedges for 'ardly, and by action of faces 1.7 011 faces 23, will collapse the wedge members B inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. Upon pulling strains being imparted to the gear through drawbar 2, wedge member A will be drawn forwardly, as. in Fig. 4, its faces 19 forcing wedge members B outwardly in opposite directions along the faces of cross bars 8 faces of member 15 acting against faces 17 of the gear housing and thrusting said housing bacln'ardly, compressing opposing mechanism therein and In butting, wedge member A is thrust backwardly, its wedge faces 18 engaging opposing wedge faces 22' of member B, laterally separating said members and effecting the backward movement of the housing or easing D by engaging the wedge faces 17 thereof by faces 23 inv the same manner as occurs in pulling, except that members 13 are now thrust outwardly by the separating action of the wedge faces 18 of member A in. the opposite direction. In either operation, 2'. 0. pulling or balling, the effect is to produce backward movement of the gear casing D, by the lateral travel of members B and the wedging action of their faces 23. It will thus be seen that the easing of shock-absorbing member D always travels in the same direction under strains of either pulling or, batting, and always operates to 're-assemble the parts to normal position, by its internal expanding upon release of pressure in either direction.

The advantage in making the wedge faces 18: of member A somewhat less acute than faces '19.is that the comparatively heavier bi'ifiingyshocks will effect substantially the same separation of members B in pulling, 'but with a considerable increase of Wedge opposition. The angle of inclination of the several wedge members, however, is

a matter-of adjustment or is to be deterin serv be limmined by varying conditions present ice of the gear, and I do not desire to pressure,

stalled. or removed, and develops a very high capacity in opposition to either normal or 1 abnorn'ial' shocks incident ttrcar service.

The construction, design, proportions or other detail features of the invention may be variously changed or modified by the skilled mechanic, but all such changes are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims. i i

What I claim is:

1. In a friction draft gear, the combination with car framing, of a forwardly pressed shock absorbing member, a drawbar, and. intervening co-acting face-to-face wedge mechanism adapted to impart backward pressure to the shock absorbing memher in either pulling or butting.

Q. In a friction draft gear, the combination with car fraimng, of a forwardly pressed shock absorbing men'iber, a drawbar, and intervening co-acting face-to-face wedge mechanism eml'iodying a pair of opto transmit strains from the drawbar to the shock absorbing member in. a uniformly backward direction.

3. In a friction draft gear, the eombina Lion with car framing, of a forwardly pressed shock absorbing member having wedge faces, a wedge member enga ing the drawbar, and wedge members directly engaging-the faces of said drawbar wedge member and the wedge faces of the shock absorbing member respectively, and open able to transmit either pulling or butting strains baclnval'dly to the shock absorbing member.

4. In a friction draft gear, the combination with car framing, of a forwardly pressed shock absorbing -member having wedge faces, a wedge member engaging the drawbar, and laterally movable'wedge members directly engaging the faces of said drawbar wedge member and the wedge faces of the shock absorbing member respectively, and operable to transmit either pulling or balling strains backwardly to the shock absorbing member.

Tn a friction draft gear, the combination with car framing, of a forwardly pressed shock absorbing member having wedge faces, a wedge member engaging the drawbar, laterally mpvable wedge members directly engaging the faces of the drawbar wedge member and the wedge faces of the operable to transshock absorbing member,

mit either, pulling or butting strains baclo wardly to the shock absorbing member, and

vlaterally arranged guides therefor.

6. In a friction d aft gear, the combination with car framing, of a shock absorbing member having a forwardly extending portion provided with wedge faces, a drawbar, a wedge member connected to the drawbar, and a pair of compound wedge members ongaging the drawbar wedge member and the wedge faces of the shock absorbing member respectively.

7. In a friction draft gear, the combination with car fran'iing. of a shock absorbing member having a forwardly extending portion provided with wedge faces, a drawbar, a wedge. member connected to the drawbar, and a pair of laterally movable compound wedge members engaging the drawbar wedge member and the wedge faces of the shock absorbing member respeetivel y.

8. In a friction draft gear, the combina-' tion with car framing, of a shock absorbing member having a forwardly extending portion provided with wedge faces, a drawbar, a wedge member connected to the drawbar having oppositely disposed wedge faces at each side, and a pair of laterally movable compound wedge members each having op-' positely disposed wedge faces for engage ment, by the faces of the drawbar wedge member and a wedge face engaging the wedge faces of the shock absorbing member.

9. In a. friction draft gear, the combination with car framing, of a shock absorbing member having a for ardly extending portion provided with wedge faces, a drawbar, a wedge member connected to the drawbar having oppositely disposed wedge faces at each side, a pair of laterally movable compound wedge members'eaeh having oppositely disposed wedge faces for engagement 'by the faces of the drawbar wedge member and a wedge face engaging the wedge face of the shocli absorbing member, and means iu'oviding trai'isverse guides for the laterally mo 'able compound wedge members.

.10. In a friction draft gear, the combination with car framing, of a shock absorbing member having a forwardly extending anlion provided with wedge faces, a draw ar, a wedge member connected to the drawbar having oppositely disposed wedge faces at each sidc, a pair of laterally movable compound wedge members each having oppositely disposed wedge faces tor-engagement by the faces of the drawbar wedge member and a wedge t'acc engaging the wedge face of the shock absorbing member, and transvcrscly arranged bars mounted in the ear framing providing guides for the laterally movable compound wedge members.

11. In a friction draft gear, the combination of cross bars, a shock absorbing memher having extended wedge portions, a drawbar, a wedge member connected to the drawbar, and wedge members engaging the drawbar wedge member, cross bars, and the wedge faces of the shock absorbing memhcr respectively.

in testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in the presence of two witnessses.

JOI-IN F.'C()URSON. Witnesses:

l. M. mam-1, Fneoic STAUB. 

